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TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AFTER NATO'S EVICTION FROM FRANCE, THE NEW BELGIUM HEADQUARTERS SWITCHED INTO ACTION. AT?

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TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AFTER NATO'S EVICTION FROM FRANCE, THE NEW BELGIUM HEADQUARTERS SWITCHED INTO ACTION. AT THE SAME MOMENT - FOLLOWING A SIGNAL TO ALL ALLIED COMMANDS THROUGHOUT EUROPE - THE WORK OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS IN EUROPE (SHAPE) ENDED IN FRANCE.

THE CHANGEOVER CAME AFTER A BRIEF AND DIGNIFIED FLAG-RAISING CEREMONY AT CASTEAU, 30 MILES (50 KILOMETRES) FROM BRUSSELS, DURING WHICH GENERAL LYMAN L. LEMNITZER, SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER IN EUROPE, FORMALLY ACCEPTED THE NEW HEADQUARTERS FROM THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT.

AFTER NATO'S BLUE AND SILVER STANDARD AND SHAPE'S GREEN AND GOLD PENNANT WERE RAISED, GENERAL LEMNITZER AUTHORISED THE SIGNAL WHICH BORE THE SWITCH-OVER ORDER TO COMMAND POSTS STRETCHING FROM THE NORTHERNMOST TIP OF NORWAY TO SOUTHERN TURKEY. MISSING FROM THE ALLIED FLAGS WAS THAT OF FRANCE, WITHDRAWN AT THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST BECAUSE OF FRANCE'S EXIT FROM NATO'S INTEGRATED MILITARY COMMAND.

YESTERDAY'S CEREMONY WAS ATTENDED BY NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL SIGNOR MANLIO BROSIO AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NATO POLITICAL AND MILITARY DELEGATIONS. BELGIUM WAS REPRESENTED BY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTRY WILLY DE CLERCQ.